Discover your career passion with Labyrinth Gap Year

Aldo Horn
  • 1 Day Ago
“Youth today suffer numerous uncertainties and a total lack of future perspective and plans. They must navigate a fast-changing technological world, which certainly contributes to their blurred vision,” founder, director and coordinator of the Labyrinth Gap Year programme Dalene Jordaan says.

She explained that youth unemployment is a major concern for young Namibians and that the programme aims to combat that by preparing participants properly for a career.

Seeing the needs of the youth, the retired schoolteacher and principal created a 10-month programme tailored for those aged 17 to 24.

“It bridges the gap between leaving school, the search for job opportunities and the labour market,” said Jordaan.

The programme is led by professional trainers and corporate mentors and allows participants to learn about careers, relationships, health and well-being, finances, emotional, spiritual and moral values and community service.

Intensive skills training and engagement is followed by a formal graduation with Namibia Qualification Authority (NQA) accreditation, which can be a major boon for any CV in a competitive job market.

A highlight is that learners also gain insight into different sectors of the labour market through job shadowing and job information sessions directly with employers.

The job shadowing covers a variety of sectors, from the media industry to science, law and business.

The programme not only entails formal training but also offers visits to museums and art galleries, hiking excursions and visits to various factories.

This is all part of the programme’s philosophy of “developing the whole person.”

Students are also offered a chance to study for their learners’s and drivers’s licences.

Why take a gap year?

Di-Jana Faculin Gous, who participated in the gap year programme 'Beyond Adventure' in 2020/2021, is currently a mentor at Labyrinth.

According to Gous, the best part of a gap year is being exposed to new and diverse experiences that one is unlikely to encounter at university.

“If a learner is not certain what they want to study, or what they want to do for a career, they can greatly benefit from this programme,” Jordaan said.

She said the initiative allows individuals to make up their minds as they gain a wealth of experience before having to commit to a career path.

More information is available on their website at https://flexona.org.na/the-academy/whole-person-development/